Scissors exercise: Tone your lower body and build six-pack abs with scissor kicks and scissor abs

Scissors exercise is a simple yet effective workout routine that can help tone the lower body and develop six-pack abs.

This compound movement targets multiple muscle groups in the lower body and core, making it a popular choice for those who want to stay in shape without going to the gym.

In this article, we explore the benefits of scissors exercises, including scissor kicks and scissor abs, and provide a step-by-step guide for performing them.

Scissor workout: Benefits of scissors exercise

Scissors exercise is an intense workout that can help you burn calories and lose weight. Depending on your bodyweight, you can burn up to 400 calories per hour. Scissor kicks and scissor abs also offer several other benefits:

Tones legs: Scissor kicks work the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, helping tone and strengthen the legs.

Improves flexibility: The scissor motion used in the exercise can help improve flexibility by stretching the hamstrings and hip flexors.

Strengthens core: Scissor kicks and scissor abs engage the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis (six-pack muscles), obliques and transverse abdominis, helping tone and tighten the midsection.

Increases endurance: Scissors exercise is a high-intensity workout that can help increase endurance and stamina.

How to perform scissor kick exercise?

The scissor motion used in this exercise can help improve flexibility. (Stylecraze Fitness/ Youtube)

To execute scissor kicks, a straightforward yet demanding exercise that doesn't necessitate any equipment, adhere to the following instructions:

Lie on your back, and place your hands underneath the glutes to provide support to the lower back.
Raise your legs off the floor, ensuring they remain straight and together.
Gradually elevate one leg higher than the other while maintaining straight knees.
Lower your legs, and repeat the previous step on the opposite side.
Keep alternating legs to complete the intended number of repetitions.

For beginners, start with three sets of ten repetitions, and gradually increase as you get stronger. Make sure to keep the lower back pressed into the ground throughout the exercise to avoid straining it.

Scissor abs exercise: How to do scissor ab?

Scissor abs are an effective exercise that target the core muscles (FitnessBlender/Youtube)

Scissor abs are an effective exercise that targets the core muscles. Follow these steps to perform scissor abs:

Lie on the back with the hands behind your head and elbows out to the sides.
Lift your legs off the ground, and bring them to a 45-degree angle.
Lift your head and shoulders off the ground, keeping the elbows out to the sides.
Slowly move one leg up and the other down, keeping them straight.
Switch legs, bringing one leg up and the other leg down.

For beginners, start with three sets of ten repetitions, and gradually increase as you get stronger. Make sure to keep your neck relaxed and lower back pressed into the ground throughout the exercise to avoid straining the neck and lower back.

Scissor exercise: Variations

Once you have mastered the basic scissor kick and scissor ab, you can try some variations to make the exercise more challenging and effective.

Here are some variations to consider:

Weighted scissor kick: Hold a light dumbbell or weight plate between your feet to add resistance to the exercise.
Reverse scissor kick: Instead of moving the legs up and down, move them side to side in a scissoring motion.
Scissor plank: From a plank position, lift one leg off the ground, and scissor it over the other leg; switch legs and repeat. This exercise adds an extra challenge to the core muscles while also engaging the shoulders and arms.
Double scissor kick: Instead of alternating legs, perform scissor kicks with both legs at the same time. This variation makes the exercise more intense and works the lower abs even harder.

Scissor exercise: Tips and precautions

While scissors exercise is generally safe for most people, here are a few tips and precautions you should keep in mind to avoid injury:

Warm up: Always warm up before performing scissors exercises to prevent muscle strains and injuries. A few minutes of light cardio, like jogging or jumping jacks, should be sufficient.
Proper form: Proper form is key to getting the most out of scissor exercise and avoiding injury. Keep the core engaged and lower back pressed into the ground throughout the exercise.
Avoid overexertion: If you feel any pain or discomfort while performing scissors exercises, stop immediately, and rest. Do not overexert yourself, and gradually increase the intensity and duration of the exercise over time.
Breathing: Breathe deeply; exhale as you lift your legs, and inhale as you lower them. That will help you stay focused, and avoid holding your breath, which can cause tension in the body.

Scissors exercise can tone the legs (LivestrongWoman/Youtube)

Scissors exercise is an effective and versatile workout that can help tone the legs, improve flexibility, strengthen the core and burn calories. Whether you're a beginner or experienced athlete, scissor kicks and scissor abs can be a great addition to your fitness routine.

With proper form, precautions and variations, you can make the most of this simple but powerful exercise and achieve your fitness goals. So go ahead, and give it a try, and see the difference it can make to your body and mind.